Assessing offseason grades, roster’s future
Where will Ravens stand in AFC North pecking order next season?
It’s been an eventful start to the Ravens’ offseason.
After losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game in late January, the team that finished with the NFL’s best regular-season record was picked apart. Defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, defensive line coach Anthony Weaver and defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson were hired elsewhere, right tackle Morgan Moses was traded, wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was released and linebacker Patrick Queen, running back Gus Edwards, safety Geno Stone and guard John Simpson were among a host of key contributors who departed in free agency.
But the Ravens also solidified their roster, re-signing breakout star Justin Madbuike to a four-year, $98 million extension to anchor the defensive line and adding running
back Derrick Henry on a two-year, $16 million deal to give reigning NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson an imposing partner in the backfield.
As we look ahead to next month’s NFL draft and the latter stages of free agency, Baltimore Sun reporters Brian Wacker and Childs Walker and columnist Mike Preston
answer five questions facing the Ravens.
After saying goodbye to several key players and coaches, signing Henry and extending Madubuike, what’s your grade for the Ravens’ offseason so far?
Wacker: In some ways it’s incomplete, because they still have significant questions about their offensive line. But for the sake of providing a grade, I give it a B-plus.
Re-signing Madubuike and adding Henry are home runs. Madubuike is a rare talent — defensive tackles who can get after the quarterback, stuff the run and wreak havoc up the middle are hard to find and worth keeping long term when you do. Henry, meanwhile, is a difference-maker. Yes, one can argue that the Ravens led the NFL in rushing with a backfield of Gus Edwards, Justice Hill